Cougars take on #6/5 (2) Villanova at 5:09 p.m., Saturday, inside AT&T Center in San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Winners of 12 of its last 13 games, the University of Houston Men’s Basketball program takes on #6/5 (2) Villanova at 5:09 p.m., Saturday, inside AT&T Center with a berth to the 2022 NCAA Final Four on the line.
#15/15 Houston (32-5 • 15-3 American) advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the second straight season with a 72-60 win over #2/2 (1) Arizona on Thursday night inside the Fertitta Center.
Against the Wildcats, sophomore point guard Jamal Shead led all players with 21 points and six assists, while senior guard Kyler Edwards poured in 19 points with a game-high five 3-pointers.
With Thursday’s win, the Cougars enjoyed their 32nd win of the year, tying for the second-highest total (1983-84, 32-5) in Houston single-season history.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday’s game on TBS with Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Jim Jackson (analyst) and Allie LaForce (reporter) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Thursday’s game on 950 AM KPRC with Jeremy Branham and. Houston Hall of Famer Elvin. Hayes calling the action. Fans also can hear the game on Westwood Radio with Scott Graham (play-by-play) and P.J. Carlesimo (analyst) calling.
PILING UP the NUMBERS
• Graduate forward Fabian White Jr. continues to push his name higher in the Houston records book in multiple categories this season.
• With Thursday’s Sweet 16 win over #2/2 (1) Arizona, the Atascocita, Texas, native competed in the 121st victory of his Houston career, extending his school record. He now owns a 121-27 record with the Cougars.
• White also appeared in his 148th during his time in Houston, the most by any Cougar in school history.
DIMES for EVERYONE
• Sophomore point guard Jamal Shead continues to rise higher in the Houston records book during the 2021-22 season.
• With six assists in the Cougars’ Sweet 16 win over #2/2 (1) Arizona on Thursday, Shead now has 219 assists this season.
• His total is the second highest in Houston single-season history, trailing only Houston great Reid Gettys’ school-record 309 assists during the 1983-84 season.
BOTH ENDS of the COURT
• Senior guard Kyler Edwards finds himself in elite company in the American Athletic Conference.
• Through games of March 24, Edwards is one of only two players to rank among the league’s Top-10 leaders in both scoring AND rebounding.
• Edwards stands 10th in the league with 14.1 points per game and is tied for seventh with 6.0 rebounds per contest.
• He joins Tulsa’s Jeriah Horne (16.1 ppg, 5th; 6.9 rpg, 3rd) as the only members of the exclusive group.
ONE of a KIND
• Sophomore point guard Jamal Shead stands among the national leaders in a pair of categories in 2021-22.
• The Manor, Texas, native ranks eighth in the nation with 5.9 assists per game and is 10th with a 2.92 assist-turnover radio.
• Shead is the only student-athlete in NCAA Division I to rank among the Top-10 leaders in both categories.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Cougars are competing in the 23rd NCAA Tournament in school history in 2022.
• This marks only the fourth time in school history that Houston will compete in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The 1981-84 teams were the last group to accomplish the feat. The 1965-68 teams also played in four straight NCAA Tournaments.
• With Thursday’s win over #2/2 (1) Arizona, Houston is now 35-27 all-time at the NCAA Tournament with Final Four appearances in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 2021.
• The Cougars advanced to the NCAA National Championship Game in 1983 before bowing out to NC State (in one of the most memorable games in NCAA Tournament history) and in 1984 against Georgetown.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY by ROUND
Elite Eight – Houston has posted a 6-0 record in NCAA Tournament Elite Eight games during the program’s history.
• Cougars previously made Elite Eight appearances in 2021, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1968 and 1967.
• 2021 Elite Eight – defeated (12) Oregon State, 67-61, Midwest Regional, Lucas Oil Stadium – Equality, Indianapolis, March 29, 2021
• 1984 Elite Eight – defeated (4) Wake Forest, 68-63, Midwest Regional, The Arena (St. Louis), March 25, 1984
• 1983 Elite Eight – defeated (3) Villanova, 89-71, Midwest Regional, Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Mo., March 27, 1983
• 1982 Elite Eight – defeated (8) Boston College, 99-92, Midwest Regional, Checkerdome, St. Louis, March 21, 1983
• 1968 Elite Eight – defeated TCU, 103-68, Midwest Regional, Henry Levitt Arena, Wichita, Kan., March 16, 1968
• 1967 Elite Eight – defeated SMU, 83-75, Midwest Regional, Allen Field House, Lawrence, Kan., March 19, 1967.
ABOUT VILLANOVA
• Villanova enters Saturday’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Game with a 29-7 overall record and 16-4 mark in the Big East.
• The Wildcats are competing as the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Region.
• Villanova stands at No. 6 in the most recent Associated Press (1,211 pts) and at No. 5 in the Ferris Mowers Coaches (628 pts) polls.
• Villanova finished second in the Big East regular-season standings, finishing just percentage points behind league leader Providence.
• The Wildcats won three straight games to win the Big East Tournament on March 10-12.
• Villanova has won its last eight games and 13 of its last 14… Only a 71-69 loss at UConn on Feb. 22 prevents a longer winning streak.
• Villanova has posted a 7-1 record in neutral-site games this season.
• In its most recent action, the Wildcats enjoyed a 63-55 win over Michigan in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 inside AT&T Center on Thursday.
• Against Michigan, Jermaine Samuels led all players with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting and posted two blocks with a pair of steals. Justin Moore totaled 15 points with four rebounds and a team-high four assists, while Collin Gillespie totaled 12 points with six rebounds and two assists. Caleb Daniels came off the bench to lead Villanova with nine rebounds.
• This season, Gillespie leads Villanova with 15.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. Moore is a close second with 15.0 points per game. Samuels is third on the team with 11.0 points per game but leads the Wildcats with 6.39 rebounds per contest. Daniels ranks fourth with 10.2 points per game.
• Head Coach Jay Wright is in his 21st season at Villanova and his 28th year as a collegiate head coach.
• Wright has compiled a 641-281 career record and is 519-196 with Villanova.
• Previously built a 122-85 record at Hofstra (1994-01).
• Saturday’s game will be the first time Wright has faced Houston during his career.
• Wright has posted a 1-0 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1983 graduate of Bucknell.
SERIES HISTORY vs. VILLANOVA
• The series against Villanova is tied at 3-3.
• Saturday’s game will be the first meeting against the Wildcats since a 79-49 Houston win inside Hofheinz Pavilion on Nov. 23, 1991.
• Five of the six meetings against the Wildcats to date have come at neutral sites.
• The two teams have alternated wins and losses in the series history with neither squad recording consecutive victories to date.
• Series started with a 73-66 Villanova win at the Kentucky Invitational in Lexington, Ky., on Dec. 30, 1953.
at NCAA Tournament: The series is tied at 1-1 in games played in the NCAA Tournament.
• In the most recent meeting in the NCAA Tournament, Houston claimed an 89-71 victory in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional in Kansas City, Mo., on March 27, 1983.
• In the first meeting at the NCAA Tournament, Villanova enjoyed a 90-72 win in the NCAA East Region First Round in Charlotte, N.C., on March 13, 1981.
at Neutral Site: Villanova owns a 3-2 lead in the series against Houston in games played at neutral sites.
• In the most recent game at a neutral site, Villanova took a 63-60 win at the Sugar Bowl Classic inside the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Dec. 28, 1986.
• In the first game played at a neutral site, the Wildcats enjoyed a 73-66 win at the Kentucky Invitational in Lexington, Ky., on Dec. 30, 1953.
UP NEXT
• With a win over #6/5 (2) Villanova in the NCAA Tournament South Region Elite Eight, the Cougars will advance to the NCAA Final Four.
• It would be the second straight NCAA Final Four appearance and seventh in school history.
• That game will be played on Saturday, April 2, inside Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
• Houston would face the winner of (1) Kansas-(10) Miami)/(11) Iowa State
• Game time would be announced following all NCAA Elite Eight games Sunday.
• All Houston Men’s Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC.
2022-23 SEASON TICKETS PRIORITY WAIT LIST
Fans who were unable to secure 2021-22 season tickets may start preparing for next season by putting down a $75 deposit and placing their names on the 2022-23 Men’s Basketball Season Ticket Priority Wait List by clicking here.
JOIN the 50-50-CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men’s Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
For more information or to sign up, fans may visit uhcougars.com/5050club or click here. To join the 50-50 Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4687).
STAY CONNECTED
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